Safeguarding Audits and Reports

Audit of Diocesan safeguarding

Bishop Stephen gave his thanks to parish safeguarding volunteers and the safeguarding team for their commitment as the external audit reports that safeguarding is embedded in the culture of parishes across our diocese. The independent audit was carried out by INEQE Safeguarding Group, which was commissioned by the Archbishop’s Council to audit all dioceses and Cathedrals. Salisbury was the first to be audited, have been carried out in January 2024.

Auditors said the “real strength in Salisbury is its people. From the leadership teams to the volunteers, there was an absence of hubris, no defensiveness and a desire to learn”. 

The diocesan safeguarding team “places victims and survivors, the young and the vulnerable at the centre of what they do”, auditors said.

Bishop Stephen said: “Safeguarding is both a right and a Gospel imperative. I am grateful for our safeguarding team and their commitment to being survivor led and trauma informed, and I am very thankful for the ministry of our many volunteer parish safeguarding officers. This audit will act as a springboard to continue and deepen our practices and policies.”

Read the full report here.

Read the audit tracker for monitoring the implementation of the required impovements.

Watch a video response from Bishop Stephen.

Independent Review into Soul Survivor

In September, a review was published into Mike Pilavachi and Soul Survivor. The review was commissioned by the Trustees of Soul Survivor and carried out by Fiona Scolding KC. Though our diocese was not directly involved we know that Soul Survivor has a huge reach and influence and we are studying the recommendations for ourselves. You can read the report here Outcome — Soul Survivor Watford. If you have been affected by church related abuse please contact Safe Spaces or the Diocesan Safeguarding Team. 

Past Cases Review 2 (PCR2)